Cognitive outcome of pallidal deep brain stimulation for primary cervical dystonia: One year follow up results of a prospective multicenter trial.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Pallidal deep brain stimulation (DBS) is effective in alleviating motor symptoms of medication refractory cervical dystonia, but little is known about effects on cognitive functions.

METHODS:

As part of the first randomized, sham-controlled multicenter trial on DBS in medication-refractory primary cervical dystonia (ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00148889), a subgroup of 13 patients aged 39 to 69 underwent prospective neuropsychological long-term follow-up assessments. Various cognitive domains (memory, executive functions, attention, visual perception, mental arithmetic and verbal intelligence) were examined before and after 12 months of continuous DBS.

RESULTS:

Only the number of produced words in a verbal fluency task which included alternating categories decreased after stimulation (p = 0.020). All other cognitive domains remained unchanged.

CONCLUSIONS:

These findings indicate that long-term pallidal DBS for the treatment of primary cervical dystonia seems to be safe regarding global cognitive functioning.

• Authors: Lars Dinkelbach, Joerg Mueller, Werner Poewe, Margarete Delazer, Saskia Elben, Alexander Wolters, Elfriede Karner, Matthias Wittstock, Reiner Benecke, Alfons Schnitzler, Jens Volkmann, Martin Südmeyer
• Journal: Parkinsonism & related disorders (Parkinsonism Relat Disord) Vol. 21 Issue 8 Pg. 976-80 (Aug 2015) ISSN: 1873-5126 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 26074391 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Multicenter Study, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Cognition (physiology)
• Cognition Disorders (etiology)
• Deep Brain Stimulation (adverse effects, methods)
• Dystonia (congenital, surgery, therapy)
• Female
• Follow-Up Studies
• Globus Pallidus (surgery)
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Outcome Assessment, Health Care
• Prospective Studies